To put up first Brazilian geostationary satellite

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer and state telecommunications Telebras signed the shareholders agreement that gives life to the company that developed and built the first geostationary satellite for military and civilian communications the country. The new company, dubbed Space Visiona SA, will be controlled by Embraer (51 percent), which is the third largest worldwide manufacturer of aircraft and military and space technologies developed, and will have as a minority partner (49 percent) Telebras, a state telephone company whose main assets were privatized over a decade.

According to a statement released by both companies, Visiona born with a guarantee that will be the main contractor for the National Space Program (NAP), a Brazilian government program to encourage the development of space technologies. The company's initial objective is the development of Brazilian Geostationary Satellite, a technology that address the needs of satellite communications from the Brazilian government, including the provision of broadband internet to isolated towns and communications strategic defense sector. The new company will be based in the Technology Park of Sao Jose dos Campos, the city that are based Embraer and several other aerospace companies in Brazil. Visiona be associated with several aerospace development companies create the so-called Center for Space Technology Development. "This project represents a historic step to the technological and industrial space sector in Brazil. Embraer is pleased to be a strategic partner in this important project," said the president of the Brazilian Aeronautics, Federico Curado, said in a statement. "The Brazilian satellite will allow the expansion of internet access to millions of Brazilians lares. addition, control of the satellite, Brazil will give the necessary security for the transmission of information of strategic networks government, "he said on his part, President of Telebras, Caio Bonilha. The proposed development of the first Brazilian geostationary satellite has a budget of 716 million reals ($ 358 million) and the expectation of government is put in orbit in 2014 before the World Cup that the country will host this year. The device, weighing about six tons, will be placed in orbit at 36,000 km altitude and will be able to cover the entire country. Their main purpose shall meet the communications Armed Forces, which currently rely on a satellite of a private Mexican company.